Portage Central
stuns Portage Northern football,
dashes Huskies' playoff hopes
Paul Morgan | Special to the
Kalamazoo Gazette, October 14, 2011
11:26 p.m.
Portage Central running back Anglo Latora (8) scores
the Mustangs' third touch down as teammate Logan Templeton (5) gives
the signal during their game against Portage Northern Friday evening. - (John A. Lacko |
Special to the Kalamazoo Gazette)
Portage Central running back DeJuan James runs the
ball Friday night. - (John A. Lacko |
Special to the Kalamazoo Gazette)
Portage Northern quarterback Jon Pincus looks for a
reciever during their SMAC West rivalry game against Portage Central
Friday evening. - (John A. Lacko |
Special to the Kalamazoo Gazette)
PORTAGE
— Portage
Central may not remember much about its first victory of the high
school football season, but it will surely remember No. 2.
Behind a one-two running
punch of Angelo Latora and DeJuan James, the Mustangs stunned crosstown
rival Portage Northern, 24-21, on Friday night at McCamley Field in a
game delayed twice by lightning.
”Angelo wasn’t crazy about playing running back, but
he’s a tough-as-nails kid and will do whatever he’s asked to do,”
Portage Central coach Mick Enders said. “He and DeJuan, those two just
ran right behind a really inspired offensive line tonight.”
It was a huge loss for the Huskies, who fall to 4-4
overall and are probably out of the state playoff picture. Winning
their last two games would have ensured a postseason appearance.
Portage Central (2-6, 2-4) commanded most of the wild
first half. Latora made his debut at running back by gaining 104 yards
on 13 carries and scoring two touchdowns in the first half, finishing
with 127 yards on 23 carries. James had 101 rushing yards on nine
carries and one TD in the first half, amassing 119 yards on 15 carries
overall.
With so many injuries on offense, Latora started, and
on his first carry, gained 11 yards. His second carry went 10 yards and
he was off and running. With Latora and James carrying most of the
load, the Mustangs went 81 yards on 10 plays with Latora bulling over
from the 2-yard line with 7:04 left in the first quarter.
After P-Central stopped the Huskies on a
three-and-out, the Mustangs went 43 yards in three carries, James going
the last 40 off the right side for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead with
3:57 left in the first quarter.
It looked like it might not be Northern’s night. On
the first play after the kickoff, Derrick Sanders went around the right
side 81 yards for a touchdown, but it was called back on a holding
penalty. In the first half, the Huskies were hit with 53 yards in
penalties.
In the second quarter, P-Central’s Tad Drabik kicked a
25-yard field goal with 10:34 left in the half for a 17-0 Mustangs lead.
It was a wild final 1:24 for both teams. Northern
quarterback Jon Pincus hit Tyler Holland for a 20-yard scoring strike
to make it 17-7. He caught the ball in the right flat and zipped down
the sideline for the score.
The Mustangs came right back with Latora going around
the right behind big tackle Kyle Knapp for a 20-yard TD run with 42
seconds left and a 24-7 lead.
With Pincus’ live left arm, Northern is never out of
it, and the Huskies proved it by going 63 yards in 34 seconds. Pincus
hit Derrick Sanders in the left corner of the end zone for a 12-yard
scoring play with 8 seconds left in the half.
The highlight of the drive, though, was a juggling
catch by Holland that went for 31 yards. In the middle of a monsoon, he
tipped and juggled the ball three times before catching it and running
to the 12. On the next play, Sanders caught the TD pass.
It didn’t take Northern very long to cut into
P-Central’s lead. With 6:49 left in the third quarter, Sergio Jackson
cut through a hole on the right side of the line, broke three tackles
and scored on a 26-yard run to make it 24-21.
Then it was a game for the defenses to decide, and the
Mustangs were able to hold Northern to just two first downs after its
touchdown.
Contact Paul Morgan at sports@kalamazoogazette.com or
(269) 388-8400.
